Whether you’re looking for your first road bike, a comfortable endurance bike for long days in the saddle, or a lightweight race bike built for speed, our road bike range covers every type of road rider.
Explore our latest road bikes for sale below, or shop our dedicated Road Race Bikes and Road Endurance Bikes ranges to find the right bike for your riding. Need some help choosing? Read our Road Bike Buying Guide or speak to our experts online or in store. 0% finance and Cycle to Work options are available on selected bikes.
Road bikes are designed for efficient, fast riding on paved roads, but choosing the right one depends on how and where you plan to ride. Modern road bikes range from comfortable endurance bikes for long-distance riding and sportives to lightweight race bikes designed for speed and performance.
Most road bikes feature drop handlebars, 700c wheels and lightweight frames, but differences in geometry, frame material, gearing, tyre clearance and components can have a significant effect on how a bike feels and performs.
Which Type of Road Bike Should I Choose?
For most recreational riders, an endurance road bike is a great place to start. Endurance bikes have a slightly more relaxed riding position and stable handling, making them well suited to longer rides, sportives, training and everyday road cycling. Popular endurance models include the Trek Domane, Cannondale Synapse and Merida Scultura Endurance.
Riders who prioritise speed, racing and a more responsive ride should consider a road race bike. Race bikes typically use a more aggressive riding position with lightweight or aerodynamic frames designed to maximise performance. Popular examples include the Trek Madone, Cannondale SuperSix EVO, Scott Addict RC and Cervélo S5.
If you’re buying your first road bike, don’t assume that the fastest or most expensive bike will necessarily be the best choice. Comfort, fit and the type of riding you plan to do should come first.
What Should I Look for When Buying a Road Bike?
Start with fit and intended use, then consider frame material, groupset, gearing, wheels and tyres. Aluminium road bikes can provide excellent performance and value, while carbon frames generally reduce weight and can offer greater stiffness and ride refinement.
Most modern road bikes now use disc brakes and wider tyres than previous generations, improving braking, grip and comfort on typical UK roads. Component specification becomes more important as your budget increases, but getting the correct bike type and size will usually make a bigger difference to your riding experience.
Use the questions below to learn more about road bike sizing, frame materials, gearing, tyre widths and how much to spend, or explore our dedicated Road Race Bikes and Road Endurance Bikes ranges.
Why Choose WHEELBASE for Your Road Bike?
WHEELBASE has been supplying road bikes from the Lake District for almost 30 years, helping riders across the UK choose bikes for everything from their first sportive to competitive racing.
Our road bike range includes leading brands such as Trek, Cannondale, Scott, Cervélo, Merida, Cube, Colnago and Orbea, with expert advice available online and in store to help you choose the right bike, size and specification.
What is the difference between endurance and race road bikes?
Endurance road bikes are designed to balance speed with comfort, using a more relaxed riding position and stable handling that suits long rides, sportives and everyday road cycling. Road race bikes typically have a lower, more aggressive riding position and prioritise low weight, aerodynamics and responsive handling.
For most riders who value comfort over longer distances, an endurance road bike is likely to be the better choice. Riders focused on racing, fast group rides or maximum performance may prefer a race bike.
Start by choosing a road bike that suits the type of riding you plan to do and fits you correctly. An endurance road bike is generally better suited to longer rides and comfort, while a race bike prioritises speed, aerodynamics and responsive handling.
Once you’ve chosen the right type of bike, consider the frame material, groupset, gearing, wheels and tyre clearance. Aluminium bikes can offer excellent value, while carbon road bikes are typically lighter and become more common as your budget increases.
Specification matters, but fit and intended use should come before individual components. A correctly sized bike designed for your style of riding will usually be a better choice than a higher-spec bike that doesn’t suit you. You can use our smart fit tool (find my size) on our product pages to give you an idea of the size of bike you’ll need based on your dimensions and preferred riding style.
How much should I spend on a road bike?
How much you should spend depends on your experience, riding goals and how frequently you plan to ride. Entry-level road bikes usually use aluminium frames and dependable mechanical groupsets, making them a good choice for new riders and recreational cycling.
As your budget increases, you’ll find lighter carbon frames, higher-level groupsets, electronic shifting and upgraded wheels. Premium road bikes increasingly focus on reducing weight, improving aerodynamics and delivering the highest level of performance.
Rather than choosing purely on price, prioritise the correct size, suitable geometry and a specification appropriate for your riding. Our WHEELBASE team can also help compare bikes at different price points if you’re unsure where your budget is best spent.
What tyre width is best for UK roads?
For most UK road riding, 28mm to 32mm tyres provide an excellent balance of speed, grip and comfort. Wider road tyres can be run at lower pressures, helping absorb rough surfaces and providing more confidence on wet or uneven roads.
Race-focused riders may prefer 28mm tyres for their combination of speed and low weight, while endurance riders often benefit from 30mm or 32mm tyres for additional comfort and stability.
The maximum tyre width will depend on the clearance provided by your bike’s frame, fork and wheels, so always check the manufacturer’s recommended tyre sizes before changing tyres.
How do I choose the right road bike size?
Road bike sizing is usually based on your height, but inside-leg measurement, body proportions and riding position are also important. Two riders of the same height may therefore be more comfortable on different frame sizes.
Manufacturer sizing also varies between brands, so don’t assume that the same labelled size will fit identically across Trek, Cannondale, Scott, Cervélo or other manufacturers.
Use the manufacturer’s size guide as a starting point and consider the bike’s geometry and intended use. If you fall between two sizes or are unsure, the WHEELBASE team can help you choose the most appropriate frame size and setup. You can use our smart fit tool (find my size) on our product pages to give you an idea of the size of bike you’ll need based on your dimensions and preferred riding style. the bike sizing data is supplied by the brands based on their geometry charts.
What gearing should I look for on a modern road bike?
The best road bike gearing depends on your fitness, terrain and riding style. Riders tackling steep or rolling UK roads generally benefit from a wider gear range and easier climbing gears, while racers may favour closer ratios that allow smaller changes between gears.
Shimano 105 is a popular choice for performance and value, with Ultegra and Dura-Ace offering lighter, higher-level components. SRAM road groupsets provide an alternative, with electronic AXS shifting available across several performance levels.
Electronic shifting systems such as Shimano Di2 and SRAM AXS provide fast, precise gear changes, while modern mechanical groupsets remain a reliable and cost-effective option.
For most riders, having gearing suitable for the terrain they ride is more important than simply choosing the highest-level groupset.
What is the difference between aluminium and carbon road bikes?
Aluminium road bikes are typically more affordable and durable, making them an excellent choice for beginners, training and riders looking for strong performance at a lower price. Many aluminium bikes also use a carbon fork to reduce weight and improve ride comfort.
Carbon fibre allows manufacturers greater control over frame weight, stiffness, aerodynamics and ride characteristics. It is therefore widely used on mid-range and premium endurance and race bikes.
A carbon bike isn’t automatically the better choice for every rider. A well-equipped aluminium road bike can offer better value than an entry-level carbon model, so consider the complete bike specification, fit and intended use, rather than frame material alone.
Why buy a road bike from WHEELBASE?
WHEELBASE has been supplying road bikes from the Lake District for almost 30 years, with decades of experience helping riders choose bikes for recreational riding, sportives, training and racing.
We stock road bikes from leading brands including Trek, Cannondale, Scott, Cervélo, Merida, Cube, Colnago and Orbea, with expert advice available online and in store. Our experience in road cycling and racing means we can help with bike choice, sizing and specification rather than simply helping you choose between products.
Road bikes can be purchased online or collected in store, with 0% finance and Cycle to Work options available on selected bikes.
